Electric vehicle jack



Sept. 27, 1938. J. 0. PETSCHE ET AL ELECTRIC VEHICLE JACK Original Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 w E l. mmk W m 5% m SHE k .B z T HE m m m 1 0a Sept. 27, 1938. J. o. PETSCHE El AL ELECTRIC VEHICLE JACK Original Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Summers JOSfP/l l7. PET CI-IE Sept. 27, 1938. J. D. PETSCHE ET AL ELECTRIC VEHI CLE JACK Original Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 27, 1938. J. D. PETSCHE ET AL 2,131,296

ELECTRIC'VEHICLE JACK Original Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,s r u KAL I Zhwentors 4 7 JOSEPH 11 PETSCHE & /c r012 BEZc/A K 36 attorneys Sept. 27, 1938,

Original Filed Dec. 24, 1954 J. D. PETSCHE ET AL ELECTRIC'VEHICLE JACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mlm l'mventors a? JOSEPH D. P5750105 V/CTOR .BEZdA K TM attorneys Patented Sept. 27, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC VEHICLE JACK Joseph D. Petsche ando Victor Beljak, Cleveland, hio

Reflled for abandoned application Serial No.

759,027, December 24, 1934.

This application March 19, 1936, Serial No. 69,709

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a jacking system or apparatus for motor vehicles, and is a reflle of our abandoned application, Serial No. 759,027, filed December 24th, 1934. The invention in- 5 cludes among its objects:

To provide a system of jacks which need not necessarily be a permanent or built-in unit but which may be installed as an accessory with a minimum amount of time and labor;

To provide an improved electrically-driven system of jacks preferably taking its power from the car battery;

To provide a jacking-up unit which may be controlled with ease and safety;

To provide a system of jacks which is positive in both its raising and lowering action;

To provide an electrically driven jacking unit of the accessory type which may be manufactured and sold at a cost commensurate with the cost of :30 the motor vehicle to which it may be applied.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

33 Figure 1 is a plan view of the chassis of a motor vehicle having the improved jacking apparatus installed thereon;

Fig. 2 is a substantially central transverse vertical section of a preferred type of double-stroke no jack forming part of the system;

Fig. 2a is a sectional view taken on the line 2a2a., Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a singlestroke jack;

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electric circuits for the installation;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the control switch shown removed from its panel-board; and Figs. 5a to 5d, inclusive, are detail views of parts 40 of the switch assembly;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the switch or panel board, and Fig. 6a is a rear view thereof, showing the various electrical connections;

Fig. 7 is a front iiew in elevation of the jack 45 switch assembly; Fig. 7a is a rear view of the switch housing or box showing the electrical connections; and Fig. 7b is a sectional view taken on the line lb-lb, Fig. '7.

In its preferred form, the apparatus utilizes a jack for each wheel of a vehicle with a separate or individual motor for each jack. In Figs. 1 and 2, the jacks are generally indicated at J J J, J and the motors at M NF, M M.

Fig. 2 shows a preferred type of double-stroke 55 jack, comprising an outer casing or housing having therein a sliding sleeve 6 which in turn has slidlngly mounted therein a tubular sleeve or lift I which is internally screw-threaded to accommodate a driving screw 8, the latter at its upper end being unthreaded and provided with a bearing collar 9 and bearings l0 and a drive gear ll. Threaded into the upper end of sleeve 6 is an internally threaded member l2 which is removable to facilitate assemblage and is locked to sleeve 6 by screw stud l3. A bracket I4 is provided and at its lower end is clamped over a suitable adjacent part of the chassis, such as the axle beam I5, and at its upper extremity the jack is provided with a cap it which is secured to this bracket by means such as trunnion l1, and at its lower extremity the jack has therearound a bracket I8 which is also secured to bracket II. The lower end of the lift 1 is preferably provided with a ball head which engages in a foot IS.

The gear II is driven by a worm 20 which may be secured to the armature of motor M, a housing 2| protecting the worm and gear assembly. The motor M may be any one of those above specified and is supplied with current in a manner to be described.

Both the inner and outer sleeves I and 6 are preferably splined against rotative movement, as at 22 and 23, and at its lower extremity, the outer sleeve 6 has removably secured thereon a band or shell 24 adapted to abut against the outer casing 5 when the jack is raised.

The jack operates as follows:

When screw 8 is rotated through gear I I, worm 20 and motor M, it drives lift sleeve I downwardly until the latter contacts the bottom of sleeve 6, whereupon the internal threads of part l2 are caused to engage the threads of screw 8 and the sleeve 6 is also extended or driven downwardly until stop shoulder 25 contacts with 25, at which point the drive on the motor is halted in a manner to be described.

To hold the inner lift sleeve in extended relation with the outer sleeve when both sleeves are extended, an automatic lock or clutch, generally indicated at 26, is provided and preferably comprises parts 26' and 26 which are in the form of segments built on outer semicircular shells and held in place under tension in recesses formed in the part 24 and the lower extremity of sleeve 6 by springs 26, the upper surfaces of segments 26 and 26 being cammed as at 26*. The upper extremity of the lift sleeve I is formed with an enlargement or bearing boss 21 having its lower edge cammed, as at 21', and

when the sleeve 1 lowers, cam edge 21" contacts 26 and spreads lock segments 26 and 26', permitting the boss 21 to pass down against bottom of sleeve 6, whereupon segments 26* and 26' close in over said boss and lock the sleeve 1 in extended position. Secured to the casing 5 below the ring bracket I8 are oppositely-disposed cams 28 and 28, which have their shank portions 28 normally lying between the semi-cylindrical shells which carry the cam segments 26 and 26 when the jack is closed. Assuming that both sleeves are extended, when sleeve 6 rises, the lower parts of cams 28 and 28 spread the cam segments as said sleeve nears its elevated or closed position, thereby permitting boss 21 to pass upwardly and telescope in sleeve 6. The upper portions of cams 28 and 28 may also serve to assist in holding outer sleeve 6 in its retracted position until sleeve 1 is fully extended by frictionally engaging the upper contiguous edges of the said semi-cylindrical shells when the inner sleeve is driven downwardly.

In Fig. 3 a preferred type of single stroke jack is shown. In this type of jack, a sleeve 30 is provided which is internally screw threaded to receive a screw 3| having a bushing 32 secured on its lower end, which in turn has secured thereon the drive gear I I. Sleeve 30 is secured in a housing bracket 33 which in turn is mounted on a pin or trunnion 34, the latter being secured in a bracket 35 which is adjustably clamped to the axle I5. The construction and arrangement of the housing 33 and pin 34 is preferably such as to permit a limited rocking and rotational movement of the jack with respect to the axle bracket, to compensate for uneven footing of the entire set of jacks as well as irregularities in the ground surface.

The jack motors M are preferably of the reversible type, or are each so connected into the circuit that the current through the field or armature, for example, may be reversed in operating the jack. A main control switch is provided and is adapted to be mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle or at some other convenient location, and there are also a set of jack switches, one for each jack, whereby when any one or all of the jacks are extended or closed, the jack motor is automatically cut off.

The main control switch is shown more or less in detail in Figs. 5 to 5d, inclusive, and Figs. 6 and 6a. A panelboard or like support is indicated at 36 and thereon is mounted the switch assembly generally indicated at S, Fig. 5, brackets 31 and screws 38 being provided for this purpose. The switch S includes four holding magnets or solenoids 39, 40, 4| and 42, for the switches 50 to 53 inclusive each of which is mounted on a switch board 43, and four push-button contact switches 44, 45, 46 and 41 each of which is urged to its return position by means of a spring 48. Each pushbutton is secured on an operating rod 49 which carries contacts which when the push button is depressed closes the motor circuit and also the magnet circuit and energizes the magnet, the latter then holding the switch closed.

In Fig. 4, the individual magnet circuits are indicated at a, b, c and d and the main magnet circuit line at e. Depression of the push button switches effects closure of switch members 50, 5|, 52 and 53 (Fig. 6a), which bridge terminals 50 50 50 50 5I -5I 5I --5I In -52 52 -52, H -53 and 53 -53 and close circuits which lead to the respective jack motors, these circuits being numbered in consecutive order in Fig. 4 in accordance with the respective jacks, which bear like numbers.

There are in effect two circuits for each jack motor, the down or jack extension circuit and the up or jack retracting circuit, and there are also two main up and down" sides to the line, the flow of current from the battery being reversed in accordance with the side of the line which is closed to obtain the desired direction of rotation of the particular jack motor. The reversing switch mechanism is included in the switch assembly, indicated generally at S, and includes a hand lever 54 mounted on an insulation block I0. The extremities of the insulation block are connected to switch blades 54 and 54 which blades are pivotally connected to the terminals 54 and 54 extending through the base 43 connected directly to the battery circuit. The block III is provided with a pair of downwardly extending portions 10 adjacent the switch blades which portions are bridged by a bar 54' which bar is adapted to alternately engage pairs of switch contacts 55 or 56, which contacts are carried by the insulation blocks between the contact strips 54 and 54 on one side and contact strips 54 and 54 on the other side, and are connected to terminals 55 and 55 and 56' and 56 to electrically bridge said terminals which are connected with the main up and down sides or circuits. Insulated from contacts 55 and 56 and their corresponding terminals are knife switch members or contacts 54, 54*, 54 and 54 which are provided with terminals 55, 56 and 56, 55, and these switch members control the direction of flow of the battery current in the respective up and down circuits. Thus if switch lever 54 is thrown forward, or to the right in Fig. 5a, bar 54' bridges the contacts 55 leading to the terminals 55' and 55 and effects closure of conductors A and B.

The up side of the line is simultaneously connected to the battery, the terminals 54 and 54 making contact through the switch blades 54 and 54" with 54 and 54 which results in 54a being connected to 55 and 54 being connected to 56; these are in turn connected by the cross-over wires to the terminals 56 and 55 respectively, which in turn are connected to lines e and C.

When lever 54 is in an intermediate position it is in neutral, and at this position it maintains ignition control switch 51, note particularly Fig. 5b, closed. Switch 51 is in effect a. safety switch, since it is adapted to control the starting current to the engine of the vehicle and insure against possible starting of the car when any one or all of the jacks are up or in operation. Accordingly, this switch has terminals 51 and 5'!' which may be connected into the ignition or other circuit essential to operation of the vehicle motor. Switch 51 is depressed against spring tension in a housing 5'! by means of a cam member 51' mounted on the said insulation block below bar 54, at which time terminals 51 and 51 are bridged, but when cam member 51' is moved clear of said switch, the latter moves upwardly and breaks the circuit.

It is desirable to halt the drive on the jack motors automatically when the jacks reach either an extended or a retracted position, and this is provided for by the switch assembly illustrated in Figs. 7, 7a and 7b. In the preferred form these switches each consists of a casing 58 having connected thereto terminals 58 and 58 connected by conductors I and I respectively to lines B and A and 55 and 55" which are connected to termials 50" and 50 of the switch 5. Terminals 58 and 58", and 55- and 55, are adapted to be bridged by switch members or contacts 55 and 58, which are depressed against spring tension preferably by a toggle or lost motion double-throw switch assembly comprising links 55' and 58 contact member 55' and spring 55. Link 58' is slotted where it connects with link 58' to provide a lost motion Joint. A pair of spaced contact members are operatively connected to the Jacks, said contact members being indicated at 59 and 59' in Fig. 2 and at 58 and 58 in Fig. 3. When the jack sleeve reaches its extended and retracted positions, lever 58 engages either contact 59 or 59 of the double throw Jack or 59, 59 of the single throw jack and throws the switch over dead center. In Fig. '1, contact 58' has moved out of contact with contact 58 and the former has passed dead center and into engagement with contact 58.

Although we have shown the motors as being reversible by changing the current flow to the motors through the commutator, it is obvious that this connection could be made to the fields and function equally well. The field coils 50 are energized by lines connected to the negative side of the battery while connection to the other terminal of the field coil is made from the positive side of the battery through lines 52 to switches 64 and thence from switches 54 through lines 63, 55, 51 and 58 to motors I, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Since the current for the field coils is always in the same direction, it is merely necessary to use simple single pole, single throw switches in this part of the circuit, which switches can be included and operated with the switches 50 to 53 inclusive.

The operation is substantially as follows:

In the diagram of Fig. 4, the up" side of the line is closed, while the down" side of the line is open, the switch lever 54 having been thrown forward and connecting the battery terminals 54 54 with the terminals 55 and 55 and bridgin'g terminals 55' and 55 of the up" side of the line, this action also connecting the magnet circuit line e with the battery circuit. If now the push-button switch 44, for example, be pressed by the finger or thumb of an operator, the solenoid or magnet circuit a. which it controls will be closed and simultaneously switch terminals fil -50* and Ni -50 will be bridged by contacts 50 and the circuit to motor M will be closed, as shown in Fig. 4.

The flow of current can now be traced from terminal 55 to 55 through main solenoid line e to the line a of solenoid 39. The solenoid 39 will now be energized and will hold the push button 44 andits contacts depressed. The circuit goes through line a to main line A through terminals 55-, 55' through main line B and on through line I of the jack motor circuit, through motor M on through line connected to terminals 50 and 50" to main line C, through terminal 55 to terminals 55 and 54* to battery circuit. The solenoids are provided to hold the push-button switches closed so that the operator may remove his finger or thumb once contact is established. Should it be desired to stop the jack at an intermediate position, or at any point in between a fully extended or closed position, the'reversing lever 54 is moved to neutral, whereupon the motor and solenoid circuits are broken and the drive halted.

Assuming that the double throw jack, shown in Fig. 2, is-being used, then motor 1M will rotate gear II, which in turn will rotate screw 5 and drive the sleeves 1 and 4 downwardly in respective order. The drive on the motor will continue until contact member 59 throws lever 55 of the Jack switch which is associated with jack J or the reversing lever 54 is moved to neutral, whereupon the circuit will be broken and the drive on the motor stopped.

When it is desired to lower the vehicle wheel or other part with which the jack is associated, the lever 54 will be thrown back and thereby connect battery terminals 54', 54 with terminals 55 and 55 and at the same bridge terminals 56', 58 and close the down side of the line and open switch 55 and the up side of the line. If now the push button 44 be again depressed, the circuit will again be closed to solenoid 39 and Jack J but in this instance the current will be reversed in the jack motor circuit, and the jack lift sleeves 5 and I will be retracted in respective order until contact 59 engages lever 58 and breaks the circuit to the motor, whereupon the drive will again be halted. The flow of current in the down" circuit can be traced from terminal 55 through line e, solenoid 39, line a, main line A to line I, through motor M on through line I across switch terminals 50--50", on through line I to main line D, across switch terminals 55-55 to terminal 55 and to battery.

A simplified showing of the foregoing is illustrated in Figs. 8 to inclusive, wherein the circuit has been restricted to the operation of but one jack J and its corresponding motor M The circuit for the remaining motors will obviously operate the same since the operation of any one circuit is dependent upon which one of the buttons 44 to 41 inclusive (Fig. 6) is actuated. Fig. 8 shows the complete connections, both for the up and down positions of the jack; Fig. 9 shows only the connections used during the extending or up position; and Fig. 10 shows only the connections used in the retracting or down position. Current from the storage battery is conducted through the wires marked positive" and "negative to the terminals 54 and 54 The circuit will now be described as though the current were passing through the positive wire and the circuit and returning eventually to the negative wire. Current from the terminal 54- goes to the main switch 55 and crosses over to the terminal 55 and line C. Thence it is conducted to the contacts 50 and 50 which are actuated by the push button 44 and through the conductors from these terminals to the switch contact 55" on the jack. The toggle switch member 58 has previously been actuated by the member 59 to close the switch connecting this conductor to the motor and the current goes to the motor through the conductor I00, from the motor through the conductor IIJI to the contact 55 and thence through conductor l to conductor B. From B it is conducted to contacts 55' and 55- which are bridged by the member 54' on the main switch and is thence conducted to the conductor A and through the conductor a and solenoid 39, energizing the solenoid, to the conductor e through contact 56, across to 55 and thence to 54', which has been designated as connected to the negative line. The solenoid maintains the contacts 5i! and 50 closed, until the movement of the jack arrives at a position where the element 59 on the jack strikes the lever 58 and opens the contact 58 which opens the circuit, de-energizing the solenoid, opening contacts 50 through the positive conductor, passes through terminal N to H through the conductor e which is connected to the solenoid 39 and thence through conductor a to the conductor A through conductor ldown to the terminal '8" of the switch ll, thence through the motor of the jack, out through the contact 58'' to the contacts iii and II" and thence down to the main conductor 1) where it goes to contacts Iii, and 58- which are bridged by the member 54' to contacts 55 and I4 and thence to the negative of the storage when the jack has been fully retracted the member Bl operates the lever 58 of the toggle switchopening the contacts 58*, opening the circuit, de-energizing the solenoid 39 and releasing the contacts 80* and W Immediately thereafter, due to the snap action and momentum of the switch, the contacts 58" in the jack switch II are closed, placing the jack in a position for extending the jack when it is again desired to raise the same.

It will be understood that the switches herein shown and described and the arrangement of the circuits may, to a certain extent, be varied and rearranged, and that variations and modiiications in design of the remaining parts may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a jacking system, a double-throw jack comprising a housing, inner and outer telescoping lift members mounted in said housing, a screw for driving said inner lift members, said inner lift member being provided with an abutment at its upper end adapted to engage the outer lift member after it has been fully extended and move it into driving engagement with said screw,

and means for locking the inner and outer lift members to one another when the inner lift member reaches an extended position, said means comprising expansible members arranged to be expanded by said abutment and thereafter engage over the top of the latter and hold it in extended position in the lower extremity of the outer lift member.

2. In a jacking system, a double-throw jack comprising a housing, inner and outer telescoping lift members mounted 'in said housing, a screw for driving said lift members, said inner lift member being provided with an abutment at its upper end adapted to engage the outer lift member after it has been fully extended and move the latter into driving engagement with the screw, means for locking the inner and outer lift members to one another when the inner lift member reaches an extended position, said means comprising expansible lock members arranged to be expanded by said abutment and thereafter engage over the top of the latter and hold it in extended position in the lower extremity of the outer lift member, and means for automatically unlocking said lock member when the inner sleeve is retracted.

3. In a jacking system, a double-throw jack comprising a housing, inner and outer tubular lift members arranged in telescoping relation in said housing, a screw for driving-said lift members, said inner lift member being provided with an abutment at its upper extremity adapted to engage the outer lift member when the inner lift member reaches its extended position and thereby move the outer lift member into driving engagement with the screw, and means for locking the inner lift member to the outer lift member when the inner lift member reaches an extended position, said means comprising a pair of expansible segments which are mounted in the lower extremity of said outer lift member and have upper cam faces arranged to be contacted by said abutment to permit movement of the latter to a position below said segments, and means for expanding said segments when the inner lift member is retracted.

JOSEPH D. PETSCHE. VICTOR BEZJAK. 

